Home is where the family is
by TrippyHippieGirl
Summary: Emma had been gone a few hours when something happened that sent her running home
1. Chapter 1

Emma: I started to screm this seems like I nightmare only its not, Thayer and Travis are both in the same room trying to hurt me. 2 days ago I had told Sutton I was going to leave but somehow they found me and took me I coudn't escape. Travis tried to hold me down as Thayer unzipped his pants I kept kicking and screaming through the rag in my mouth. It hit me that I'm in my underwear and that my pants were on the ground next to me I feel even more heavy I used all of my strength picking up a peice of glass with one hand. Pushing it through the ropes around my hands. I managed to punch Travis hard in the back he fell over in pain. Thayer was in his boxers he tried to get onto of me telling me I was going to pay, I used the rest of my strength to kick him in the private parts.

He screamed as his body toppled over onto the cement ground. I grabbed my pants and ran as fast as I could where am I? why had they taken me and tried to rape me? Thayer said if he couldn't have me no one could. Stumbling nearly falling I kept running its late in the afternoon I can tell by the sky as I climb out of a window looking back I was in a basement somewhere now I'm outside. Woods were around me one of the trees looked like it was going to fall over. Trying to control my breathing I cry where am I? no indicators around I run for what seems like a long time till I recongize a stretch of road in the background. It leads back into pheonix a few miles from Suttons house, I don't know what to do other than go back there. Right now I need Sutton I just hope shes home and I can make it to her window without getting noticed.

My mind wonders flashing back to Thayer and Travis hurting me I didn't understand why Thayer had done that or why Travis had been there its a confusing painful blur. I can feel bruises and bleeding cuts on my body it hurts my head is spinning. By the time I get to Suttons house I'm to dizzy and out of breath to make it to the window I collapse at the front door my head accicentally banging into it. "Sutton" I scream hoping Kristin isn't home that would probably just get sutton and I into trouble maybe I shouldn't have come back. Too weak to get up, The door opens But to my shock its Kristin oh geez I'm in for it She looks at me with a freaked out look on her face.

"Sutton what happened to you?" "Where is Sutton" I stutter feeling weak "Sutton what are you talking about?" She yells at me damn it I'm not Sutton I need her . Breaking down hysterical Kristin tries to help me up but I can hardly move suddenly I see sutton in the corner of my vision "Whats going o- Oh god Emma!" she runs to me I reach out my hand. Kristin looks confused "What on earth" She says out loud standing still "Sutton" I whisper crying as she helps me up we hug tightly "I've got you Emma its okay" she says as she helps me inside over to the couch.I collapse into her arms hysterical "Could someone please tell me whats going on?" Kristin says loudly standing over us .

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to get you into trouble" I whisper "Hey it's okay Emma clearly someone hurt you I'm just glad you're here alive" she says looking at me. Kristin sits down next to me I start to feel freaked out what if she tries to hurt me "Something tells me we've met before.. Sutton you never told me you had a twin" She says looking at her "Dad was going to tell you mom I'm sorry but this isn't the best time for introductions shes bleeding" Sutton says worried. Kristin looks at me even more shocked "I'm so sorry.. Let me get the first aid kit" She ran off. "Please don't let them hurt me again if they find me.." I start to hyperventalate "Breath Emma please calm down you're going to be okay now".

Trying to control my breath Kristin returns with the first aid kit and cleans me off bandaging me up sutton and I don't let go of eachother. Kristin looks me in the eyes "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you" She says pulling me and Sutton close. "Sutton, mom I love you so much" I said hugging her back with one hand. "So we have met" She says looking at me with those big blue caring eyes "I love you too Emma hey nothing could ever change that your my twin sister". "Yeah I indentical enough to switch places" I said almost laughing "I knew something wasn't right with Sutton acting almost like she had 2 personalities" Kristin looked at me. "That was bound to come out sooner or later you could sort of say shes the more warm hearted verison of me" Sutton says. my mind starts to flashback I scream kicking "Let go of me please stop don't" I feel shaking I see myself running hearing people call my name.

Suddenly I snap out of it realizing I'm in the mercer living room with Sutton and Kristin I fall back into Suttons arms "They kidnapped me and tried to rape me if they find me they'll probably kill me hes crazy they both are" I stuttered out hysterical. Kristin holds Sutton and I close ." Emma if you tell me who did this to you I can do my best to make sure they don't come near you again" Sutton says staring at me. "It was Thayer and Travis" I whisper stuttering "Thayer?" Kristin says shocked "Travis your foster brother? I don't understand how do they even know eachother?" Sutton says confused Kristin has an even more pained look on her face.

"I don't know all I know is that after I left 2 days ago Thayer found me as I was about to get out arizona somehow he found me and kidnapped me Travis was with him and he was fuming mad Thayer told me if he couldn't have me no one could I woke up in a cement basement and somehow managed to escape Thayer was about to rape me" I stuttered out hysterical "I'm sorry Emma I shouldn't have let you go I should have told mom then.. Dad was going to tell everything that night but alec fell through the roof and he didn't get the chance" Sutton Said.

"Thats what you're father was going to tell me, about there being two of you?" Kristin Said slightly confused "Since you already know this much I may as well tell you hes also our biological father the affair he had with Rebecca, Emma and I are the product of that I'm sorry you had to find out this way but it doesn't change the way Emma and I feel about you we still look at you as our mother and the only one" Sutton says.

"Sutton you didn't do anything wrong nether of you did even though I'm upset with your father I still love you just as much as I did before.. And I even though I may not know you that well I love you too Emma" She looks at me. "What happened to alec?" I ask uneasy "He fell through the roof at a chairty event and well died on impact" Sutton whispers."Do you think it was Rebecca? I mean she had motive Alec was the reason we got split up" I say. "Alec split you two up? why would anyone do that?!" Kristin says anger sparking in her voice. "He claimed he didn't want to saddle you and Ted with twins but it could of been about money too I really don't know but somehow I ended up in foster care at a young age" I say uneasy.

"Emma and I didn't even find out about eachother until last year or so when I started looking for our birth mom I initiated contact with Emma and we tried to get to know eachother a bit. About 8 months ago I got a lead and and asked her to pretend to be me for a few days however days turned into months switching back became more complicated I kept switching back but then something would come up and we'd end up switching again towards the end of the switching I had become concerned that you and dad might not want me anymore and kick me out because she was better at being me in someways than I was" Sutton said upset.

" Sutton thats part of why I was afraid to come back here or even have much further contact with you I didn't want to mess up you're life. Its your life they're you're family not mine, you are you I just got you to act more like yourself instead of putting on a cold mask. I didn't know what else to do though other than come back, this was the one place in my life I had actually felt safe ,here with you and I knew I needed my twin right then I'm so sorry" I responded back to her hysterical.

She hugged me even tighter "You don't have anything to apoligize for, you didn't ask for that to happen to you. Emma you're one of the most important things in my life if I cant imagine life without you I know I said and did somethings that hurt you at times and I really am sorry for that I never wanted you out of my life. If I had lost you I don't know what I would have done I don't want us to get seperated like that again you mean the world to me, we're twins a family bind as close as it gets" Sutton says

Her words catch me by suprise maybe I really had helped Sutton to open up in a good way "You know Sutton I feel the same exact way about you, I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes it feels like you're all I have in this world.. To be honest it hurt my feelings when you just let me leave like that it hurt just as much as the other few times you yelled at me and told me to get out of you're life but I also realize you we're just scared and didn't mean it.

' I've been scared out of my mind at times especially being in foster care but when they kidnapped me 2 days ago I had never been so terrified before in my life." I said trying to control my emotions hugging her back just as tight. "You're here with me now Emma and I'm not going to let them near you again if I can help it I'm going to be their for you no matter what happens if Mom and Dad don't want us anymore than I'll run away with you" She said.

Kristin had a look on her face like she was worried out of her mind "Sutton I don't know why you would think I wouldn't want you or Emma for that matter. After hearing what you two just said to eachother I can't imagine anyone trying to split the two of you up let alone myself. If ether of you ran away or anything else happened I'd be worried sick just please don't ever run away or put your-selves in unnessicary danger.". My protective instincts we're kicking in no one had ever said anything like that to me before I didn't know how to respond.

"I'm a broken foster kid who was abused most of my life I don't understand why all of this happened to me, before I had sutton in my life I never had a family or anyone that cared about me other than my best friend. I never really did anything wrong but yet people keep hurting me from the inside out like I'm some kind of human punching bag I'm starting to think thats all I'll ever be is a wind up doll people use and abuse however they please". Maybe I shouldnt have said that much.

"Emma no one has the right to use you or hurt you like that you're a person a human life not some peice of waste that can be disposed of" Kristin says. "Thank you for caring" I say looking back at her but something crosses my mind that worries me "Where's Laurel?!" I say worried out of my mind. "Mom you better go call her and find her bring her back here please it's not so safe for her or any of us to be out right now.." Sutton says. " Oh geez you're right I'm sorry but I really need to go find Laurel. Sutton why don't you and Emma go lie down in my bedroom, there's no direct entrances from outside in mine, make sure everythings locked especially the walk in window in your room thats an easy target" She gives us a squeeze and runs out the door grabbing her car key's . "Are you up for helping me make sure this house is secured and all entrances are locked up Emma?" She asked.

"I don't really have a choice. Could you call dad? somehow I don't have such a good feeling about us being here alone right now. Maybe this isn't the best place for us to be right now I mean if they're going to come after me this is probably one of the first places they'll look" I say. "Emma are you thinking we should run away? That could turn pretty bad fast seriously consider the fact we might not be able to come back or contact anyone" Sutton says back. "Sutton I just don't want anyone else to get hurt by them I feel that maybe if I leave and get out of here no one else in the family will get hurt but I also realize that those two are crazy enough to kill someone just to get back at me for escaping" I say crying.

* Switches breifly to Sutton's Pov:

"Just help me get this place locked up so they cant just sneak in.. Try to calm down Emma I'll call dad and get him to come over okay.? Just please don't do anything dumb" I try to calm her down concerned about what shes saying, I really am worried about her. Heading into my bedroom for a minute I get out my cellphone and dial our dads number please pick up damn it!. "Hello" I hear his voice on the other end "Dad I need you to come home please something happened to Emma" I say upset. "Is she okay whats going on Sutton?" He questions me instead of just coming now isn't really the time.

"When she left a few days ago she was attacked, kidnapped amoung other things she managed to escape today and come back here but she was too weak to make it past the front door mom answered it she knows now. Mom just left a few minutes ago to go find Laurel and I think Emma's still in a state of shock please can you just come over Emma and I don't have such a good feeling about being here alone right now" I try to sum up what happened in vauge terms. " Give me a few minutes I'll be over as soon as I can.. Goodbye see you soon" He hung up, now all I have to do is try to keep Emma from doing anything irrational.

Emma: Trying to focus myself on locking up all the windows I realize Sutton has been gone a few minutes tears stream off my face again dizziness hitting me again I collapse on the ground trying to yell for help. Starting to black out I feel a glass being placed in my hand and Suttons voice but my mouth is too dry to respond I feel the glass against my lips trying to sip the liquid. Gulping down the water my vision returns to normal "I'm sorry Sutton" I stutter hysterical she helps me back onto the couch. "It's okay.. Emma look at me you you didnt do anything I'm not mad at you" I pull myself tight back into her arms scared.

"Please don't leave me" I whisper shaking "I'm not going anywhere" Sutton whispers back tugging me into a protective hug. "I can't take much more of this pain.. I don't want to die but sometimes I almost wish I had never been born", I can tell shes concerned by my state of mind I don't want to cause her any pain ether. "Please Emma don't say things like that, you know how much you mean to me.. I don't know what I'd do without.. Dad will be here soon" She tries to calm me. The problem is right now I feel to scared to calm down anymore than I have right now "I don't know what to do anymore" I cry into her shoulder for a few minutes.

Hearing the door open I start to shake I can feel Sutton shaking against me as if we're both dreading the fact that it could be Thayer and Travis I start to cry even more clinging to her. "Are you guys okay?" I reconize my dads voice thank goodness it's him. "Thank goodness it's only you dad we we're worried it might of been someone else" Sutton says giving me a sqeeze. I can't seem to control the shaking very well tears continue to roll off my face too weak to get up. He sits down next to I see a distraught look form on his face as he looks at me "Emma what happened to you?" he asks me.

"Are you sure you really want to know?" I say hoping he'll let it go, "You're my daughter, someone hurt you I have a right to know what happened" he says upset. No way to get of this "I tried to leave a few days ago I was about to cross over the state line when someone came up behind me and put a rag over my mouth I tried to fight them off but I was dizzy and weak there was something on the rag possibly chloriform. The last thing I remember before passing was seeing the faces of my obductors Thayer and Travis I heard, Thayer yelled that if he couldn't have me no one could. I woke up tied down on a cold cement floor I tried to scream but they beat me kicking me in the stomach.

Thayer was talking about how worthless and meaningless I was to everyone things turned into a blur the next thing I remember clearly was many hours later. Travis was holding me down Thayer was unzipping his pants and said he was going to make me pay that I was going to be his sex doll. He was about to rape me I tried to scream through the rag in my mouth I was scared out of my mind he was going to force me to do it with him. I was afraid I was never going to get out of that place, somehow I managed to pick up a peice of glass around me and cut myself free of the ropes.

I used my strength to kick Travis hard he let go of me and fell onto the floor, Thayer was in his boxers practically charging at me yelling that I was going to pay. I used up the rest of my strength to kick him in the balls he went flying into the wall, I picked up my pants and ran to the closest window I could see and managed to climb out the rag out of my mouth I put it in my pants pocket and quickly put my pants back on I looked back and realized I had been in a basement.

I ran for what could of been hours through woods I eventually realized a road that lead back towards the house I got on it and just kept running to the house because I didn't know what else to do I knew right then that I needed my twin. By the time I got here I was too weak to get to suttons room and collapsed at the front door yelling for Sutton. Well you wanted to know, I told you what I can remember of what happened to me dad" I say unsure of what to do.

Would he even want anything to do with me after knowing what had happened I start to shake as he moves towards me I bury myself in suttons shoulder scared hes going to beat me for a second. Instead he wraps his arms tight around me rocking me gently "I'm sorry that happened to you, it's okay I'm here now and I'm not going to hurt you Emma I love you" he whispers. "I love you too dad" I whisper back pulling myself further into his and suttons protective embrace. "You've got a family now remember that, we all care about you" Sutton reassures me "I don't know who Travis is but if ether of them try to hurt you or come near you again.." I can hear the anguish in his voice.

"Thats part of what I'm afraid of.. That you, mom or Laurel is going to get hurt trying to protect me and Sutton. Those two are crazy enough to come after me they're insane enough to hurt or even kill on of you just to get back at me for escaping. I feel almost as if I run away maybe I'll be protecting you guys in a way but I'm also the one they want. Maybe should I just let them have me, use me like some kind of human punching bag wind up doll they can abuse however they want and kill me when they're done put me out of all this pain. They said I was a worthless peice of dirt no one was ever going to care about what if they're right?" I said letting out a glimpse of part of my inner fears.

"Emma you're my big sister I don't want to loose you I love you" I heard Laurels voice footsteps running through the house she's in tears and collapses on my lap practically grabbing me squeezing my bruised body. "I love you too Laurel.. my little sister" I whisper softly cradling her in my arms realizing that my words had probably hurt her feelings. "How much of that did you hear?" I whisper "All of that last blip you just said how could you say all of that.. Do you really feel that meaningless and worthless that you'd let someone just hurt you like that without a fight?!" Laurel cries.

I see sadness in her face her eyes staring into mine as if they're about to shatter Ted got up before, I can hear him and Kristin arguing in the background. "I'm sorry..no I don't think I could ever feel that bad what I said is part of my inner fears right now Laurel. I know how much that would hurt you and Sutton the last thing I want to do is hurt any of you.. I love you all you're my family the only one I've ever had." I responded trying to ease my little sisters state of mind. "You know how much you mean to me and Laurel, Emma your not worthless you mean more to me than anything this whole family is the most important thing in my life and I know this family is the very important to everyone in it." Sutton says hugging me. "You got that right Sutton I love both of you so much" Laurel says reaching out towards Sutton.

For the first time since I came back here today I get up on my own, Stumbling in tears walking over towards Ted and Kristin who are too wrapped up in arguing to notice me. I almost fall over Laurel helps me up instead I run off to Suttons bedroom and pack a bag "What are you doing.. Sutton please try to talk some sense into her!" Laurel yells. "I'm going to make a point and so help me if I have to leave to get it through to them if thats what it takes.." I say wiping tears off my face "Emma I can pretty much read what you're thinking right now and honestly I think you're right, you just got kidnapped and neary raped they need to stop fighting and put they're kids first right now, if they can't do that then you and I are going to leave and run away far away so they won't have to fight over us anymore" Sutton says she really did read my mind.

"If the two of you leave I want to come too seriously I don't want to be stuck in the middle of there fighting and crumbling marriage anymore than you two do!" Laurel says. "Laurel, Sutton and I are going to take responsibility for our own actions if we do this but you're only 16 I don't want to see anything happen to you. It's not a warm comfortable stay running away Sutton and I may get stuck living out of a van or something like that. I would feel bad if you went through that it could get pretty rough" I say trying to talk some sense into her.

"Emma's right I warned her earlier running away could turn bad fast.. I'm not about to leave Emma again but I don't think it's the greatest idea for you to come at least right now. Plus we're more likely to get busted if we bring you than if we go alone but Laurel we love you and I promise if things get to hectic or you think you really cant take being here we'll try to find a way to get you out of here and with us.. I just hope they listen to us before it's too late and they regret their actions" Sutton says a tear slips down her face I wipe it off putting her close. "I hope they listen before we walk out that door too because if we leave right now we may not be able to come back, thats not what ether of us want but we both understand based on their past actions that if thats what it takes to get the point across to them then so be it". I say.

Handing a light duffle bag full of clothing to Sutton I see her sling it over her shoulder, I dump hers and my cellphone on the bed and put my laptop in a knapsack. Leaving her laptop and the cellphones because they probably have tracking devices in them. We hug Laurel "I'm sorry but this is something we may need to do to.. If they can't stop fighting and try to work together to be parents to us when we need them the most right now then we're going to leave so they won't have us to fight over anymore." Sutton and I say at the same time. I hold onto Sutton as we walk outside the room together afraid that we may really end up leaving.

I can hear they're still arguing I stand to the side of them towards the door with my twin "Excuse me I have something to say!" I say softly they keep on aruging like they don't notice me. "Can the two of you stop fighting long enough to listen to me for a minute!" I yell not even paying attention to what they're saying "Sutton you're mother and I are in the middle of a conversation now's not a good time". "Damn it shes not Sutton shes Emma the two of you are so busy bellowing at eachother that you're completely disregarding parental duties and your kids right now! Ted, Kristin!" Sutton says yelling at them.

"Ether you're going to listen to us right now or Sutton and I are going to walk out that door and leave.. I just go kidnapped and nearly got raped I could of died! if the two of you can't be bothered to stop fighting and try to be parents to us right now when we need you the most than Sutton and I are going to get out of you're lives for good so you'll have 2 less things to fight over! Can't you see what you're doing to us?! are Sutton and I that insignifigent to both of you that you cant put you're differences aside long enough to be here for us right now?" I cry shaking hysterical holding onto Sutton.

"Geez seriously are the two of you going to be that hotheaded and self absorbed? they're asking you to stop and put you're kids first for once.. They're really going to leave if the two of you don't knock it off they packed a bag and are about to walk out of your lives for good because of you're behavior! if something happens to them or they die I'm going to blame both of you for being to self absorbed to try work together and be parents instead of letting them go" Laurel says standing on the other side of them. Suddenly a pang of emotional and physical pain overloads my mind again is it really coming down to running away?. I take off the blood soaked bandages covering my wounds and toss them in a waste basket in the corner.

"If I leave this house right now I'm leaving with a trail of blood" I say looking Sutton in the eyes glancing at Laurel. "O-o-h!" I whisper dizzy the wounds start to bleed heavier again with the bandages off the pain of bruises and blood loss hits me again. Laurel runs over to me with a load of bandages and quickly rebandages me up blood hits the floor "Please I don't want to loose you. " Laurel hugs me crying again. I guess what we just said must of gotten through to mom and dad on some level because they were crying too.

"Emma" I heard Kristin say but I already have my hand on the door " you know this was the first time I had ever had a family before here it was the first place have I ever felt safe". I saw even more tears on her face Suddenly I drop my bag realizing Sutton is in the living room hugging dad with Laurel. Taking my hand off the door I see the look on Kristin's face as if shes going to break down I find myself running to her seeing nothing but a look of motherly love,sadness, concern and utter worry she runs towards me I practically fall into her arms clinging to her tightly.

It was the first time I had ever had a motherly hug like that from anyone who knew it was me they were hugging I feel myself collapse into her arms lost in her embrace. "I'm sorry mom" I whisper crying "I'm sorry too.. you're father and I shouldn't have done that especially right now you're right Emma we were'nt being very good parents you're practically my kid.. the 3 of you needed us and your father and I were pushing you aside all 3 of you are much more important than some issue between your father and I.

If you and Sutton had run away and something had happened I don't think your father and I could have forgiven ourselves. You kids should come first the 3 of you mean the world to both me and your father. I'm sorry we weren't acting like it, we we're hurting all of you with our behavior especially you who just had a horrible experience. You need love and support not to be tossed aside and treated like you're meaningless. I look into you're eyes Emma and I see so much love and kindness, I don't understand how anyone would want to hurt you."

"Please don't let them take me away I don't want to leave I love you so much, this is where I belong here with my family. I'm scared out of my mind right now if they find me they'll probably kill me I don't want to die young" I whisper shaking. "I'm not going to let them do that to you Emma you're not about to die anytime soon not if I can help it. I really do love you" she said touching my face. I placed my hand over hers "That was the first time I had ever had a motherly hug from anyone who knew it was me they we're hugging" I repeated outloud to myself. "I'm sorry Emma I'm not going to hurt you" She said pulling me back into her protective embrace I cried into her shoulder.

"I love you too mom" I say lost in her arms "Do you want to take a shower or something? It's just I can imagine having not had one in a few days" I cut her off understanding she just wanted me to feel more comfortable. "Yes that would be great. it's just.." I stopped hearing Sutton "It's okay Emma I'll help you" had she read my mind or something? "Okay.. I should let you two do that then" She said detaching from me. We picked up the bags we had packed and headed towards the bedroom first before going into the bathroom

She picked out a lavender short sleeved shirt and a black pair of stretch pants adding a few undergarments to the pile I don't fuss comfortable stretchy clothes are best right now. "I'll draw you a bath I doubt you're up for standing up to shower right now" She said. "Yeah I just hope I don't fall asleep taking a bath I've been up for a while" I whisper upset. "You'll stay awake if anything I'll sit by you and talk to you I'm not going to leave you alone in there" She reassures me. "Thank you" I say holding onto her for balance as we walk to the bathroom opon entering she shuts the door drawing the bath looking the other way as I undress.

Wrapping a towel around myself I sit on the edge of the tub "Let me see if theres a sterile bag in here you're clothes should probably be properly bagged incase theres ever a need for evidence of anykind " she says . Sutton turns off the water and helps me step into the tub she looks the other way as I take off the towel and sit down submerging my body in clean water I grab soap and scrub myself down shampooing my hair as well. Opening up the cabnet under the sink she fumbles around finally finding a clean unused bag I see her put on sterile gloves as she carefully bags my dirty clothing up.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing by not going to the cops or hospital right now?" I ask wondering what she thinks of how I handled this. "Emma It's your choice I understand maybe you we're worried that the cops wouldn't do anything about it or that they'd have less of a chance of tracking you down if you don't report what happened" She says sitting on the floor. "Being here in this house with my family this is the one place I've felt safe before but it's my family thats made me feel safe rather than this place" I say.

"Well I'm glad for that! no one in this family is going to intentionally hurt you I want you to know that. This is our family Emma and our only one though some day we may have our own kids and such we'll always be a part of this family" She says softly. "Uh after what I just went through I don't exactly want to think about having a kid.. At least I hope I'm not well.." I whisper. "Please tell me when you hax sex for the first time you used protection!" She says "Yeah I did but Um I'm late by 5 days" I whisper. "Sometimes women are late after the first time it's probably nothing but if you don't get it soon well go get a test to make sure, okay?" She whispered. "You're right I'm just coming out of shock thats all" I try to assure her.

"Theres something else, Sutton I want to drop out of school and get a GED, Technically I've missed most of a year of school which I'd have to make up and you've missed school too. Honestly if we get a ged we could go to community college and move on faster with our lives highschool is beginning to seem kind of like a waste" I say trying to get her on board. "Do you realize Ted and Kristin will probably flip out we're under 18 we'd need their consent. I'd like to be done with highschool but I don't know if this will go over so well with them" She says. Maybe she needs their consent but in reality they have no legal grounds over me right now.

I rinse the shampoo from my hair going under for a few seconds and put in wat of conditioner washing my body again trying to get off every trace of Thayer and Travis. Suttons phone rings I hear her on the phone with mads "Mads slow down, nows not a good time something serious just happened. Okay I'm sorry hold on I'll try to be there soon" She says. "So you're leaving me again" I whisper "I'm sorry but Mads is really upset and is still trying to come to terms with her fathers death, are you going to be okay if I go for a bit?" "Let me finish my bath and get dressed then if you need to go see her.. Making sure I don't fall or get hurt is important too" I remind her "I know it's okay I'll stay for a little longer" she says.

Part of me is upset with her but I understand and I can't be mad at her for going Mads lost her dad I Know shes having a hard time I'd go too but I'm not up to it. I rinse out the conditioner and slip into the towel trying myself off I slip into underwear and a wireless bra thank goodness its wireless those wires would be painful. Getting into the pants isn't quite so bad but getting on the shirt is a bit painful I fight back tears Sutton takes a minute to try my hair for me. She walks me back out towards the kitchen/livingroom "Sorry but Mads needs me to come spend time with her for a bit shes a mess too" She says to Laurel.

"Would it help if I came with you? I'd like to help if I can!" Laurel say's "Are you sure you're going to be okay if we go Emma?" Sutton asks. "It's okay go I understand" I say I understand but I'm not about to be okay after what I just went through. Ted and Kristin give them a knod and they walk out the door in a hurry then I see Ted gathering his jacket. "I'm suppose to go into work Emma but if you need me to stay I can call out" I cut him off "Its okay go I understand" I say "Are you sure? I can stay if you need me too" he says. "Dad I'll be okay you're going to be late" I whisper "Okay if you need me to come home though don't hesitate to call, you're right I need to get going see you later" he says hugging me for a second.

The door shuts I collapse on the floor in a ball hysterical "I suppose you have someplace you need to be right now" I whisper to Kristin unsure if she heard me. Hearing fast footsteps I fear shes going to leave me here alone in despair. "Emma I'm right where I'm suppose to be right now" She says as she sits down next to me before I can respond I find we're holding eachother close her arms hugging me tight my arms around her just as tight I cry into her shoulder. Having just broken down again I try to control my breathing,She rocks me slowly back and forth.


	2. Chapter 2

*Picks up where the last chaper left off

Emma: I trust Kristin but part of me isn't used to people being nice to me " I've been beaten and physically abused more than hugged in my life" I whisper outloud maybe that thought should of stayed inside my head. " I'm not going to hurt you Emma I promise, your safe with me I'd never physically hurt or abuse you I don't think could ever" She said. I looked up into her eyes "People have abused me taken out their anger on me as if I was no more than a worthless wind up doll they could use as human punching . When somethings wrong or I sense anger sometimes it's like my mind expects that I'm about to get beaten within an inch of my life." I said

"You didn't deserve to be treated that way I'm sorry you went through so much pain, You're a very kind, sweet, intellegent, strong, beautiful and caring young woman with a lot of love in your heart who deserves to be loved. You're not worthless or meaningless you can't be disposed of like a peice of left over trash, I wouldn't trade you or give you up for anything in the world nothing can replace you Emma" She said looking at me. "I think thats the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, that really means a lot to me thank you" I said stray tears rolling down my face, it seemed we immeditly pulled eachother closer at the same time. "Mom.." I sutter crying hard again "I'm not about to leave you" she said I guess she must of had an idea what was on my mind becuase I was afraid she was going to leave.

"I grew up in foster care, no one was there for me accept for one person, I was alone and didn't even know what love was until I was 16 I didn't even know how to give a hug. Sometimes I wondered if I was defective because no one but my best friend wanted me in their life no one else seemed to really care what happened to me. At times I felt like giving up and that scared me I had spent most of my life fighting to stay alive, frightened of what people would do to me. This is the first time in my life I've ever had a real home and a family, people that wanted me to be there I'm trying to take my walls down and let you guys in but I know it's going to take time for me to do that" I said I think that was the most open I had been to her since I got back.

"It's okay I know you've been through a lot, Letting people get close to you is taking a risk but your family is behind you 100%. I know your worried about leaving yourself vunerable and getting hurt again but you can trust us well maybe accept for your father" she let out a sigh."Ted hasn't exactly been very honest with you but you gained something out of it you gained Sutton and I. He cares about you still but its not my place to judge if you should get back together with him or not if he makes you happy and you love him still then and both of you can be honest with eachother than I think you should try to make things work." I say, I know my father had cheated on her in the past and since they had broken up. "I don't know if I can trust him fully again, I know has recently been with Rebecca and I can't help but wonder if the fact that we both had encounters with someone else recently means we shouldn't be together." She said.

"You didn't really have that strong feelings towards Alec though I know you kissed him but I also know that it did absolutely nothing for you because there was no real attraction" I said. "How do you know so much about how I feel, Do you have esp or something?" She let out a laugh "I just picked on a lot, I know a lot of things some of which you probably don't even know" I said, I know something but I'm not ready to tell her I haven't even told Sutton yet. Looking up at her I felt the love that was expressing itself in my facial expression and it was hard for me to control it because I knew information that had changed my life. "Is there something you want to tell me?" She asked me "Right now I'm not ready to tell you" I whisper. She gave me an off look

"The look on your face right now.. It's.. nevermind It's not possible probably my imagination" she said I knew what she was thinking. "It's the same look you get on your face, that you used to get when you were a kid" I said looking away from her I turned my head back she looked confused. "How did you know?" she asked "I just did. Lucky guess?" I said suddenly she looked at me as if she'd seen a ghost or something. "Are you okay.. Mom?" I ask hoping she hasn't put too much together because I don't think right now is the right time. Suddenly the front door opened I flinched shaking Kristin tightened her hold on me I heard 3 people I reconized the sound of high heels I saw Sutton bolt through the door.

"Emma are you okay?" she asked me as Kristin helped me up I pulled Sutton into a tight hug squeezing her "I love you Sutton" I said trying not to get hysterical again "I love you too" She said wiping stray tears off my face. "We brought Mads back she was all alone in the house I'm sorry mom but I didn't feel comfortable leaving Emma alone and Mads really didn't want to be there alone especially after hearing about well you know" She said. "It's okay Sutton you did the right thing" Kristin told her. "Emma I'm so sorry my brother did that to you I had no clue" I walked over to her and looked her in the eyes "It's not your fault in any ways Mads, I had no clue he was crazy ether" I said.

She took my hand and squeezed it for a few seconds we hugged but I pulled away "Sutton I need to talk to you about something" I whispered "What is it?" I started to break down again crying "I'm sorry I can't do this(Pulling out a folded peice of paper from my front pants pocket) read this in private, the contents are sensitive" I said trying to pull myself together. Sutton stepped into the corner for a minute alone there was silence I had just handed her the results of a dna test that confirmed that Kristin was our biologial mother and Ted was our biologial Kristin ended up being our biologial parent I still don't know but for some reason Rebecca gave birth to Kristin kids that didn't happen by accident Rebecca had to have known.

There was a big tip off, I had gotten ahold of some of her medical records and Rebecca is definitly type AB+ according to the records and I found out my bloodtype is O. I realized at that it was impossible for Rebecca to be our biologial mother even though she evidently gave birth to us I had an intution that Kristin was really our mother I had a strong feeling somehow I knew so I came up with money for a DNA test and took a dna swab from Kristin when she was asleep. It had only gotten the results back a few days ago I was trying to find a time to tell Sutton but I realized she has a right to know I couldn't handle saying it outloud to her with others around right then so I handed her the results instead.

"Whats going on is everything okay?" Kristin asked "I don't know whats going on" Laurel said. Sutton started to cry "How? this doesn't make sense" Sutton cried I took the paper from her hand "I didn't find out until a few days ago I should have told you, I had known she wasn't for a while I knew it wasn't possible for a few weeks now I'm sorry, She was using you Sutton she had to have known." I say crying. "Are you 100% sure thats accurate I mean sometimes these things get mixed up?" Sutton asked "Sutton I double checked with the place whats on that peice of paper is the truth" I could tell it was hitting her how much Rebecca had been using her.

"I can't belive she used me like that! She really didn't care about me I know if she had givin a damn she would of at least told me no instead she tried to turn me against.." Sutton stopped abruptly realizing what she was about to say. "What she did was twisted and we'd both like an answer but we may never know why she did it, however it does pretty much explain why she well you know" I said, that did pretty much explain why she gave us up she had no intentions of raising Kristins child for all I know she had us just to cause Kristin pain. "That explains a lot I suppose, I had an off feeling about her since the beggining like she wasn't really well, I eventually stopped going along with her plans because I realized how screwed up she was but I didn't realize she was that sick!" Sutton said.

"If you felt something was off with her you shouldn't of trusted her or gone along with any of that Sutton shes probably twisted enough she could of left you lying in a ditch when she was done using you" I stopped remembering there are people listening to this conversation. "What do we do with the contents of this paper?" Sutton and I said at the same time we look eachother in the eyes, at the exact time we hug eachother "I don't know" we say at the same time again. "I want to tell mom I really want to be honest, keeping this from her is painful but I'm also afraid of how she'll react if she knows the truth" I say " I'm afraid of how mom will react too but we are going to have to tell her eventually" Sutton says.

"You know the truth now Sutton but are you ready to have her know the truth right now too?" I say "I'm not sure now is the right time I mean moms been through enough for one day" Sutton says. "Theres probably not going to be a perfect time to tell her Sutton" I say "I don't know whats going on but if the two of you have something to tell me maybe you should just get it out in the open I mean I don't think what the two of you have to tell me could come as much more of a suprise than I've already had today" Kristin says."Um I'm not so sure about that" Sutton and I say at the same time suddenly Laurel takes the paper from my hand before I can respond.

"Whatever it is can't be that big a deal, one of you couldn't just hand her the paper?!" Laurel said about to hand it to mom "Laurel please Emma was right this is sensitive you don't know what truths that paper holds!" Sutton says. I break down even more "Please Laurel" before I can say anymore I find myself collapsing on the floor in pain "We're about to reveal just what so called truths this paper holds" Laurel hands it to Kristin who unfolds it. Quietly crying out in physical and mental pain Sutton stands me back up "No matter what happens we'll always have eachother" Sutton says holding me tight trying ease my state of mind.

I see a look on Kristins face as if her heart just shattered into a million peices tears rolling down her face "Oh my god!" Laurel says tearing up. "you two were right this isn't just a peice of paper but Mom has a right to know the truth" Laurel said stepping back from mom I saw mads on the couch watching from afar. "Mom I'm sorry I went behind your back but I didn't know what else to do " I said hoping she wouldn't be angry. "I didn't exactly see this coming" Mom stuttered upset "Yeah well it seems the only person who did see it coming was Emma, How did you know Rebecca couldn't be our mother? you left that detail out" Sutton asked I heard the coldness return to her voice.

"I picked up that she was a sociopath I had a strong feeling she couldn't of been our biological mother based on that alone I know that you and I have a consience unlike her.. So I managed to dig up her bloodtype off of some of her medical records how I got ahold of them isn't important, the thing was I found out She was AB+ and I knew you and I are O- because I've been typed, that made it Impossible for her to have been our biological mother." I say . "Simple Biology and I didn't even know all of that time, For all I know right now she set up that car accident and purpusly tried to get me killed I should have never trusted her at all" Sutton said. "Wait you were in a car accident?, is that how the old car ended up in the water?" Laurel said putting the peices together.

"Yes someone had paid Derek Rogers to try and kill me the car went off the cliff and two people jumped in the water to get me out of the car one of which was Rebecca, thats how I got that gash on my head.. Actually I went under the radar for a few days after that and Emma actually was starting to think I might of been dead" Sutton said the emotion came back to her voice I saw the look on her face "And I hope I don't have to go through something like that again Sutton your my twin I love you more than anything not knowing if you were alive or not was just as bad as being in that basement in some ways" I said.

"Rebecca was the one who didn't want to let me tell you I was okay or about her having given birth to us, When I look back on it those secrets she had me keeping from you we're putting a wedge between us, I really am sorry and I'll try to be honest with you from now on I don't want anything to put a gap between us, I always loved you more than I ever cared about her" Sutton said. "She tried to tear us apart and turn you against your own Mother your real Biological parent, I don't know why she got herself pregnant with our mom and dads babies or why she's done what she's done to this family but I can tell she aimed her black arrows straight at our hearts" I said.

"Thats one of putting her being crazy and going out of her way to hurt us" Sutton said back. "It's pretty obvious she didn't care about us and it's very possible she had us just to cause mom pain she probably wanted mom to resent us, she probably wanted us all dead" I heard the anguish in my own words . "I don't understand how someone could be so sick and twisted to bring 2 lives into this world with the intention of harming them" Mom said looking at us. "But whatever the reason you were born nothing could ever make me wish you weren't, I love both of you unconditionally. I want both of you as my daughters and nothing can change that" the 3 of us reached out towards eachother and pulled into a tight hug.

"We love you too mom" Sutton and I said at the same time "Finding out there were two of you was a shock at first I didn't think I could love the two of you any more than I already did with. But finding out you two are my biolgical kids.. Now I love the two of you beyond all the love in my heart I've never felt so much emotion towards anyone before" Mom said. "Sutton and I didn't think we could love you anymore than we did ether but finding out you really are our genetic mom Sutton and I never felt so much love towards anyone ether, well other than eachother" I said. Sutton and I kissed our mom on the opposite sides of the cheek at the same time . "Thats possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen" Mads said even she was tearing up. "Group hug Mads" Laurel said Mads got up and walked towards us the 5 of us hugged "We're glad your hear Mads" Sutton and I said at the same time "I'm glad to be here too this is way better than being alone".

I looked back at my family they were my family physically, mentally and biologically, I had really found my family and they want in their lives me just as much as I want them in mine. For some reason Sutton and I had been saying and doing things at the same time today. That hadn't happened much before that we knew of but I take it as a sign that our mental bond as twins is strengthening. I'm still worried that Thayer and Travis are going to come after me but I'm trying to keep my worries bottled up right now because this is a family moment and I don't want to let what the two of them did mess it up.

Suddenly I had a disturbing vision that I went to take Suttons hand and she had a razor sharp blade in it she cut open my hand and it was bleeding "I want you gone out of my life" I started to bleed out. Then it switched I was inside a trashcan screaming one of my ex foster parents had put me in there and put the lid on it was dark and I couldn't seem to knock the can over so I could get out I was gasping for air hours went by I kept trying to knock it over I get anywhere near the top it was a tall metal can, too tall for a 6 year old to get anywhere near the top. I heard distant voices in the background I snapped back to reality realizing I was hyperventalating "I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you again or want you out of my life, it was just a bad thought, Deep breaths, breath Emma" Sutton said sqeezing me.

"Did you just have the same thoughts as me?" I asked hoping if she did at least she didn't the other part. "Trashcan does that word answer your question" She said suddenly I started to shake trying to fight off the flashback "I'm sorry I didn't mean to trigger the flashback again, I'm so sorry that happened to you" I saw the sincerity in her eyes "Trashcan?" Laurel said confused I started to hyperventalate again. "Please someone let me out of here!" I heard myself screaming inside my head the flashback returned I felt someone shaking me. "Emma your being unresponsive I don't know if you can hear me but this is the only other way I can think of to reach you" I heard sutton cleary "Its not going away so easy this time Sutton please help me make it stop" I said to her.

"I can't alter your flashback Emma, try to refocus your thoughts I've got you Emma I'm here and I'll always be there for you from this day on your not alone anymore". the flashback abruptly stopped "Thank you Sutton what you said helped stop the flashback" I said. "Uh I was standing right here Emma, you and Sutton were silent for the last minute" Laurel said looking even more confused. "Oh yeah just because she didn't hear us doesn't mean we werent talking well I guess we'll have to work on controlling this at somepoint I think both of us need some privacy in our thoughts. I mean I'm sure they can get pretty hot and heavy for you sometimes too" "I heard that Sutton" I said outloud.

"Laurels right Emma, Sutton has been silent for the last minute so were you" Mads said. "I'm thinking, that doesn't mean I'm being silent inside our minds!" I heard Sutton again but this time I realized she wasnt moving her lips. "Did we just?" Sutton cut me off "Yes we did" Sutton said outloud almost grinning "I have an idea let put our heads together I mean physically" I thought. "Okay if you think so"Sutton said laughing slightly. She put her head against mine so our faces were aligned "Close your eyes for a minute" I the same time we shut our eyes I pictured a link in a chain then I made it so that the chain made kind of an S shape with only one side connected.

At the same time we opened our eyes and looked at eachother for a second then we moved our heads apart. "That was an interesting idea I wonder if it will work" Sutton said outloud "I left the bottom end connected so that the other end can sense if it needs to reconnect to the top" I said outloud. "Are the two of you okay?" Mom asked confused "Yeah we're okay Emma just had a flashback I helped her through it" Sutton said. "Do you want to talk about it? Bottling up too many emotions isn't so healthy for anyones mental state" Mom asked. "If you sit down on the couch with me I'll tell you but it's kind of graphic" I said walking back to the couch mom put the paper down on the coffee table as she sat down next to me.

It was just the two of us in the living room, It's better that way for me makes it easier to be more personal when I feel less crouded. I looked into my moms eyes "I was 6 years old and in an abusive foster home, I was in the woman who was my foster parents garage at the time when the woman went into a rage on me for some reason I don't recall. She told me I was a peice of trash that needed to be desposed of she picked me up I was kicking and screaming trying to get her to let go of me She threw me into a long tin garbage-can(trying to avoid the other word right now due it just having set me off). Then she put the lid on the can I was having trouble breathing there was a bag of trash below me and hardly any fresh air coming in.

'I practically begged her to let me out but she said she wasn't going to let me out I was screaming for help on and off I couldn't get up to the top of it, I spent hours trying to knock it over. By the time I managed to knock the can over it was dark in the garage, very cold I was bruised, bleeding and terrified I ended up being locked in there for a day. After that incident I was removed from that place within the week but they just sent me someplace even worse where I hardly got any food and consequently passed out one day in school leading to being stuck in ICU for 3 days." I say unbottling my emotional state and thoughts it wasn't easy for me to talk about that. "I'm sorry that happened to you, that's a horrible thing to go through but its not your fault in any way Emma no one deserves to go through what you did" Mom said to me I understood on some level that she was right.

"What if my life ends up being a big traumatic blur? I'm 17 and I've been through more than most people could handle, after getting kidnapped and having 3 near death experiences I don't know how much more emotional pain I can handle mom" I say . "You had a traumatic past but that doesn't mean you can't have a good future, No matter how bad things may get at times hang onto hope that things will get better lifes not easy but its worth living" Mom says. "I'm sorry" I whisper curling up in a ball trembling "You don't have anything to apologize for, Emma you didn't do anything wrong" She put her hand on mine. My vision started to go dark again "Darkness losing sight, bp low help" I stutter hardly able to speak. "Not again! Mom lie her down on the couch, Come on Emma Stay with us!" I heard suttons my body being moved everything looked so dark "Ringing loud, It's getting worse" I whisper.

*Breifly switches to Suttons Pov:

Quickly pouring a large glass of water I ran towards her feeling a slight dizziness hitting me "Whats happening to her?" mom said crying I could tell she was scared. "It's her Bloodpressure, Darkening vision, Bp low, Loud ringing thats an indicator that her bloodpressure took a suddon drop probably an unsafe one. She almost passed out on me earier fluids seemed to help the last time." I said. "Laurel or Mads could one of you get the bloodpressure machine I think it's in the bathroom" mom yelled across the room. Mom helped me lift her head up the glass was on her mouth but I couldnt make her drink it.

Emma: Voices seemed so distant I couldn't make out much of what was being said feeling my head moving a cold glass against my mouth I struggled to open my mouth water hits my toung. I slowly drink "Keep drinking Emma come on, that a girl the more you drink the better you'll feel" I heard my moms voice as the ringing faded I felt sutton place the glass in my hand. Her hand holding mine I started drinking fast practically gulping the whole glass down in seconds coenciding with my vision returning back to normal lighting but I was seeing sort of flashing lights. "Your lucky I knew what was going on you could of blacked out even gone into a coma you need to take care of youself Emma, I don't want to loose you" She said sitting me back up mom put the cuff around my arm and turned the bloodpressure machine on.

"Theres something you should probably know" I say but Sutton cuts me off "Relax Emma" She said, I was going to tell her I hadn't eaten in 4 days but she wouldn't let me finish I closed my mouth taking deep breaths. I saw the reading on the screen 58/35 110 pulse "That doesn't seem right" mom said puzzled "I was going to say that I haven't eaten anything in 4 days" I said now both of them were giving me a confused look. "Woah sis thats exessive" Laurel said across the room "No wonder your vitals are off if you don't eat they'll just get even more irratic" Sutton said seeming to sense I didn't want to eat. "I got stressed out and depressed to the point where I stopped eating and um the past few days well you know" I said.

Laurel put a pb.j sandwitch infront of me I shook my head "Your going to eat or I'm going to take you to the er then if you don't eat they'll put you on a feeding tube" mom said I sensed coldness in her voice it triggered off my protective mode. "Go ahead if thats what you want to do, they'll take me away from you and send me back to vegas because you don't have any legal rights over me right now. Then Thayer and Travis will find me then it wouldnt matter because I'd probably be 6ft under" I said realizing the anguish in my words feeling bad about what I had just said to her. "I'm really sorry I didn't mean that" I said taking it back crying again. She put her arms tight around me I curled up in a ball next to her hugging her even tighter "I'm sorry too I shouldn't of raised my voice like that" mom said.

Picking up the sandwitch I quickly ate it trying get it of the way Laurel handed me a nutrition shake "Drink this it will help replenish your protien and vitamin levels" I took it from her "Thank you Laurel, I couldn't ask for a better little sister I know you care" I said looking at her. Gulping down the shake I put my arms back around my mother holding onto her tightly it seemed nether one of us wanted to let go of eachother. She kissed me on the cheek I feel about as safe as I can right now under the circumstances, my mom is really trying to help me feel better I wish I could do more to help her feel better. My mind is still adjusting to the her knowing shes my mom its probably a lot for her adjust to as well this whole family has gone through a lot today, at least some of it was good.


End file.
